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two children holding a suncatcher

Camp Maisonette

Make a Nature Suncatcher!

Mom of two Hleziphansi "Lezi" Zita of @indra.nandi, creator of Nandi Naya, shares an easy craft that will help your kids learn more about the natural world around them—and will look beautiful hanging in your home, too.
Written By
Hleziphansi "Lezi" Zita

Spending time in nature stimulates all your child’s senses and enhances their creativity and curiosity. Start this craft by taking a nature walk to gather materials, and have your little one describe the materials to you as you find them. Encourage an interest in botany by talking about the plants they gather; ask questions and research the answers together when you get home. Then use the material you’ve collected to make a beautiful suncatcher together.

Step One

Forage for vegetation. Look for flowers and leaves that are different colors, sizes, and shapes. Talk to your kids about the differences between the plants that they see and ask them to point out similarities as well.

flowers on a plateflowers on a plate

Step Two

Roll out a sheet of clear con-tact paper. Use a small plate or other round object to trace and then cut out two circles.

a plate on contact paper a plate on contact paper

Step Three

Peel one piece of con-tact paper and place it on your table, with the sticky side facing up. Have your child arrange their found vegetation on the circle, either in a pattern or more randomly for an abstract look. Decide together which materials work best together. Carefully peel the second piece of con-tact paper, and place it on top of the vegetation, with the sticky side facing down. Press down to seal, pushing out any air bubbles that form.

flowers pressed into a circle cut out of contact papertwflowers pressed into a circle cut out of contact papertw

Step Four

Use a hole punch to make a hole, and then use twine to hang it outside the house or in a window.

two children holding a nature suncatchertwo children holding a nature suncatcher